A Case for Batman
by AJWSPJS1
Summary: <html><head></head>Two paramedics but only one Batman costume.</html>


Johnny sauntered through the emergency room doors and down the hallway, glad to see Roy standing by the nurses desk. "Everything go okay?" he asked quietly, slipping by Roy to grab a cup of coffee.

Roy nodded. "His vital signs were all normal by the time we rolled him in."

Johnny nodded, sipped at his coffee, and then reached into his breast pocket with his other hand and pulled out the folded piece of paper as Dixie exited Treatment Room 2 and headed toward them.

"Hey fellas."

"Hi, Dixie."

"Hi'ya Dix," Johnny said, setting his cup down on the desk. He waved the paper at Dixie. "Supplies."

Dixie nodded and moved past him. "I just missed you two at the station this morning. I have your costumes."

"Costumes? What costumes?" Johnny asked, turning to look at Dixie. He glanced down at the two bottles of MS he held and put them in the box Dixie set out on the counter.

"For "Meet your Hero Day" up in Pediatrics," Dixie said, rolling her eyes. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"Oh, yeah, Hero Day. No, I didn't forget," Johnny said, squirming when Dixie raised her eyebrow.

"He forgot," Roy supplied helpfully.

"I didn't forget!" Johnny protested, turning to grab some syringes.

"Uh-huh," Dixie said, rolling her eyes at him. Glancing over, she saw Dr. Brackett step out of the elevator and head toward them. She finished pouring herself a cup of coffee and then poured one for Dr. Brackett.

"Roy. Johnny," Dr. Brackett said. He reached for the cup Dixie held out to him. "Thanks Dixie."

"Hey, Doc," both men said.

Roy returned his attention to Dixie. "So who are we this year?" he asked, seeing Johnny pause with the gauze packets in his hand.

"Well, I had to work overtime, so I got to the store late. They only had one Batman costume left, and one Mr. Rogers."

Both paramedics looked each other and then looked at Dixie. "I'm Batman," they said simultaneously.

"I'm Batman!" each man insisted again.

Dixie's eyes lit with amusement. Stifling her grin, she glanced at Kel and leaned against the counter.

"Roy, obviously I make a better Batman!" Johnny sputtered.

Roy's eyes narrowed. He set his coffee cup down and straightened to his full height. "Oh yeah, Junior? And why is that?"

Johnny squished the three bags of saline he held in his hand into the box and then placed both hands on the counter. "Because Batman has dark hair." He glanced up at Roy's head. "And you don't," he pointed out. "Therefore, I'm the obvious choice."

Roy pointedly gave Johnny the once over. "Yeah, well, you're a dead ringer for Mr. Rogers. All you need is the sweater," he added.

Kel's mouth twitched.

"Yeah, well…well…you talk like Mr. Rogers," Johnny said. "You do." Johnny skipped ahead at Roy's dark look. "Besides, Batman is taller than Robin and I'm taller than you."

Roy snorted. "Only if poofy hair counts."

Johnny's hand flew up to his head. "My hair isn't poofy."

Roy looked at Dixie. "I caught him using Chet's blow-dryer this morning."

Dixie swung her eyes over to Johnny.

"Well, I wouldn't have had to use it if I didn't get hit by that water bomb," he said with a scowl.

Dr. Early exited Treatment Room 2 and headed for the desk. "What's going on, Kel?" Dr. Early asked Dr. Brackett quietly, watching the two paramedics face off. Dr. Brackett shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

"Your locker is rigged almost every morning when we're on shift. When are you going to figure that out?" Roy asked.

"I was thinking!" Johnny growled.

"Thinking? How much thought does it take to stand to the side before you open your locker?" When Johnny didn't say anything, Roy returned to the original conversation. "I'm older than you are. Therefore, I make the better batman."

Johnny raised his eyebrow. "Mr. Rogers is older too you know."

Dr. Early leaned in close to Kel. "Is this about the costumes?" he asked quietly.

Dr. Brackett grinned. "Ten Dollars says Johnny ends up being Batman," he said in Joe's ear.

Dr. Early glanced back at the paramedics, and then nodded. "You're on."

"You're forgetting one thing, partner," Johnny said, grabbing the supplies.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Roy challenged.

Johnny held up the keys to the squad. "Batman drives the Bat Mobile."

"Which proves I'm Batman," Roy said slowly, as if he was talking to an idiot. "Hand them over, Junior."

"Uh-uh," Johnny said, shaking his head. He jerked the keys back from Roy, flipped them into his palm and closed his hand. "I'm driving."

"The keys," Roy demanded.

Johnny opened his hand and waved the keys. "Who's going to be wearing the Batman costume this weekend?"

"I am," Roy said, grabbing for the keys.

"Nope," Johnny said, jerking the keys away again.

Squad 51, what is your status?

Roy lifted the HT. "Squad 51 available."

Squad 51, standby for response.

"Back to work." Johnny picked up the box of supplies and grinned. Stepping around the counter, he slipped by Roy and headed off down the hallway. "Coming Roy?"

Four hours later, Johnny looked down into Roy's face. "Just admit it, Roy," he said.

Roy grabbed at the oxygen mask and pulled it up. "I'm not admitting anything," he said, continuing the conversation that took place on the side of the building right before he passed out.

"What's he supposed to admit?"

Johnny ignored the voice behind him. "Leave that alone," he said to Roy. "And don't mess with my IV." Johnny reached over and pushed the oxygen mask back into place and reached for the bio phone receiver. "Rampart, this is Squad 51. Victim number two has regained consciousness."

"Nice of him to join us," the voice behind him said.

"10-4, Squad 51. Monitor vital signs and transport."

"10-4 Rampart." Johnny put the receiver down and continued his conversation with Roy. "Since me and my utility belt effectively stopped you from becoming french fried, I definitely think I qualify more for the Batman role."

Before Roy could respond, Johnny glanced behind him. "How are you feeling, Chet?"

"Oh, so now you want to pay me some attention." Chet scowled. "It's just a sore ankle. I don't see why I have to go to Rampart." He pushed up onto his elbow. "What are you supposed to admit, Roy?"

"Nothing, Chet. And will you stop moving around?" Johnny said in exasperation. "You're going to make that crack in the side of your head worse."

Chet lifted his hand and felt his head again. "Did you have to use the entire box of bandages on it? It's only a little bump and a tiny cut for christsakes."

"Shut up, Chet. And lay back down."

"Is there a problem here?"

Chet quickly rolled back onto his back and put his head back down. "No, Cap."

Captain Stanley nodded. "That's what I thought." He turned his head and looked at Johnny. "Gage, I need someone on Marco's line."

Deke lifted his head from his patient and looked over. "Go ahead, Johnny, we'll take your two into Rampart with ours."

"Okay. Be there in a second, Cap." Johnny stood up and shrugged back into his turnout coat. "You two behave."

Roy lifted the oxygen mask. "Yeah, but the reason I ended up on the side of the building was because I went back to go get you."

Johnny grinned at the overdue response. "I radioed you and told you I was fine, Roy. I didn't need rescuing. And didn't I tell you to leave that alone?" Johnny bent over and pushed the oxygen mask back on Roy's face. "See you later at Rampart. Keep an eye on him Chet. Make sure he stays put."

"So what's this about Batman?" Chet asked after Johnny walked away.

Roy closed his eyes and pretended to pass out.

The next morning, forcing the congealed something that looked like eggs down his throat, Roy grimaced and then pushed away his tray.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Chet mumbled, chewing on his toast.

"No," Roy said, making a face. "It's horrible. I don't know how come you like it so much."

Chet swallowed. "One, I didn't have to cook it and two, it tastes pretty good to me."

"Will you two quit yelling?" a gruff voice said.

"Bout time you woke up, Junior." Roy leaned over and hit his call button. "I was beginning to worry."

"You going to eat your breakfast, Gage?"

"If I give it to you will you quit yelling." Johnny rolled over holding his head.

"I was just asking."

Johnny opened his eyes and glared in Chet's general direction.

"I thought I told you to be careful," Roy said.

"I was careful. It wasn't my fault the stupid wall collapsed." Johnny pulled the sheet over his head.

"I called the nurse for you."

Johnny groaned and pulled down the sheet. "Whadya go and do that for? They kept me up all night."

"Yeah, but you didn't answer any of the questions right," Roy pointed out.

"Who would at three a.m?" Johnny covered his head. "Wake me up for lunch."

"Good morning," Dr. Brackett said, walking into the room.

A frustrated growl came from beneath Johnny's sheet. "Jimmy Carter. August 28. Wall collapsed."

Roy caught Dr. Brackett's questioning look and shrugged. "Neuro check answers. He woke up grumpy." He looked at the lump in the next bed and then smiled. "And that means I'm Batman because, as we all know, heroes are never grumpy."

A long-suffering sigh came from beneath the sheet. "This hero is," Johnny muttered, pulling down the sheet again. He squinted over at Roy. "Fine. If you shut up, you can be batman."

Roy grinned. "Deal."

"Fine. I'm going to sleep."

"Let me take a look at you first, Johnny."

Roy lay back and watched with amusement as Johnny tried to hurry Dr. Brackett through his exam.

"I do know how to take a blood pressure reading, Johnny," Dr. Brackett said, knocking Johnny's hands away. "Will you just relax?"

"You make a horrible patient," Chet said as soon as Dr. Brackett left the room.

Johnny closed his eyes. "Shut up, Chet. I'm trying to sleep."

"Jeez."

"Good morning, fellas," Dixie said, breezing into the room with some clothes on a hanger. "I brought the costumes. Did you decide which one of you is going to be Batman?"

"Yeah, Roy is batman," Johnny said. "A very quiet Batman," he added.

Dixie nodded and walked over to Johnny. "Here's your Mr. Rogers costume." She hung a gray sweater on the hook beside Johnny's bed and set a pair of black framed eye glasses on his nightstand. "You look tired, Johnny. Try to get some sleep."

"Try to..." Dumbfounded, Johnny's voice trailed off and he looked pointedly at Roy, who just grinned and shrugged. He turned over and pulled the sheet over his head.

"And here is your Batman Costume, Roy." Dixie hung up the well-known costume and then handed Roy a paper bag.

"What's in the bag?"

"Your tights."

"Tights?" Roy asked, horrified.

Chet snickered.

Underneath the sheet, a slow grin spread across Johnny's face.

The end.


End file.
